Mike Miles, the one-time Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Colorado, is not having a good run in Dallas, where he is school superintendent.

Mike Miles, a former candidate for U.S. Senate is seen here in a 2004 photo, is facing heat as superintendent of Dallas Independent School District. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

The Dallas Morning News reports that Miles’ family is moving back to Colorado because negative press about his administration has become too much to handle. He is the focus of an investigation, had his home picketed and has been targeted for firing after only a year in office.

Miles was superintendent of Harrison School District south of Colorado Springs for six years, implementing a controversial pay-for-performance salary structure for teachers.

He became a candidate for U.S. Senate in 2004 and was chosen to be the party’s candidate at the state nominating convention. But the powerful national Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee instead pushed former state Attorney General Ken Salazar to be the party’s nominee. Salazar soundly beat Miles in the primary, garnering 173,167 votes (73 percent) to Miles’ 63,973 (27 percent) and went on to beat Republican candidate Pete Coors for the seat.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.